Mostarda di Cremona

Name: Mostarda di Cremona
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Lombarda
Ingredients: 500 g firm mixed pears and apples; 250 g firm small apricots or plums; 250 g whole candied cherries or small clementines; 500 g granulated sugar; 30 ml Lemon juice; 10 drops food-grade mustard essence

A classic Cremonese preserve of firm, jewel-like candied fruits suspended in a clear, fiercely pungent mustard-flavoured syrup.

🇮🇹Italy· Lombardy

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 75 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 165 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 6 gathered

Servings

500 g firm mixed pears and apples — peeled, cored, and cut into quarters
250 g firm small apricots or plums — halved and stoned
250 g whole candied cherries or small clementines — pricked all over with a cocktail stick
500 g granulated sugar — white
30 ml Lemon juice — freshly squeezed
10 drops food-grade mustard essence — essenza di senape per alimenti, strictly food-grade

Equipment

•large stainless steel saucepan
•heatproof glass bowl
•slotted spoon
•sterilised glass jars
•pipette

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 165 kcal
fat: 0.1 g
carbs: 42 g
fibre: 1.8 g
protein: 0.5 g
calories: 165 kcal

Instructions

1
Place the prepared fruit into a large glass bowl.
2
Scatter the sugar and lemon juice evenly over the fruit.
3
Cover and leave at room temperature for 24 hours until liquid releases.
4
Strain the liquid into a saucepan, leaving the fruit in the bowl.
5
Simmer the syrup for ten minutes until slightly thickened.
6
Pour the hot syrup back over the fruit and rest for 24 hours.
7
Repeat the syrup straining, simmering, and resting process the next day.
8
On day four, simmer fruit and syrup together for ten minutes until glossy.
9
Allow the syrup to cool to lukewarm in a well-ventilated space.
10
Using a pipette, carefully stir in the food-grade mustard essence.
11
Pack the fruit and syrup into sterilised jars and seal immediately.

Chef's tips

Handle mustard essence with immense care in a ventilated room; its concentrated fumes are extremely pungent. Never add mustard essence to boiling syrup, as the heat immediately destroys its nasal heat and releases blinding vapours. For the best texture, select firm, slightly underripe fruit that will hold its shape throughout three days of hot syrup steeping.

Ingredient substitutions

food-grade mustard essence → 40 g hot English mustard powder mixed to a paste with 30 ml dry white wine, stirred into the cooled syrup
apricots and plums → firm green figs, quince wedges, or whole baby pears

Storage

Store unopened sterilised jars in a cool, dark cupboard for up to six months; once opened, refrigerate and consume within three weeks.

Reheating

Serve at room temperature or chilled; never reheat, as warmth degrades the delicate mustard heat.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using overly soft, ripe fruit which breaks down into jam during steeping.
•Adding mustard oil into boiling hot syrup, causing potent fumes and loss of flavour.
•Skipping the multi-day maceration process, preventing proper syrup penetration into fruit.

Serving suggestions

Serve alongside a classic Lombard gran bollito misto with salsa verde.Pair with rich aged cheeses such as Grana Padano or Provolone Valpadana.Offer as a traditional spicy-sweet garnish for Mantuan pumpkin tortelli.